Downstrokes

[Kipp Harrington]

I will be turning 60 this August and I’m wondering if I’m getting too old to do continuous, rapid downstrokes for extended periods of time.

I’m learning Highway Star and Glover used all downstrokes (pick) when he recorded his track on that song. The only weakness I have playing this song is keeping those blasted downstrokes consistent during those parts where Glover is hitting those single notes for long periods of time. Like during the first part of the organ and guitar solos. Is it possible to increase my stamina by practicing, or is Father Time letting me know that I can’t do this? Any suggestions for improving on this (or techniques you guys use) that might help? Again, I want to play ALL downstrokes. Thanks in advance.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Wouldn't playing the song with an alternate technique be preferable to sounding bad due to technique/stamina issues? And far preferable to suffering any kind of fatigue or injury due to copying their technique?

 

[Kyle_S]

I'd just alternate pick it. If the upstrokes aren't sounding as good as the downstrokes, I'd experiment with picks of different thicknesses as well as where I'm picking (closer to neck or bridge, over pickup, etc.).

Never seen the point in being a downpicking purist, whether we're talking Roger Glover or James Hetfield. Just because another musician played a part a certain way, why should I play it the same exact way if it doesn't feel right to me?

 

[Les Fret]

I think Roger Glover plays it live with alternate picking himself.

 

[5StringBlues]

I would say crank your amplifier up and play lightly but that's not going to get you the tone that you want

 

[Carl Hillman]

I will be turning 60 this August and I’m wondering if I’m getting too old to do continuous, rapid downstrokes for extended periods of time.

I’m learning Highway Star and Glover used all downstrokes (pick) when he recorded his track on that song. The only weakness I have playing this song is keeping those blasted downstrokes consistent during those parts where Glover is hitting those single notes for long periods of time. Like during the first part of the organ and guitar solos. Is it possible to increase my stamina by practicing, or is Father Time letting me know that I can’t do this? Any suggestions for improving on this (or techniques you guys use) that might help? Again, I want to play ALL downstrokes. Thanks in advance.

Alternate, and if your upstrokes sound different than your downstrokes, practice them until they're the same.

 

[Killing Floor]

Since you want to use All down strokes just make some of them upside down strokes and don’t outthink yourself.

 

[Hyoga]

It's possible, you have 16th notes anyway in the intro, so it's stamina to last the whole thing. From some fast metal I just noticed that you build that stamina over time and that's it.
Using a softer pick may help, I managed very fast stuff by switching to tortex yellow (from purple). You may also try to use less pick (pick shallower to lower resistance).
Not like I would advise it, I switch to up/down whenever I can, but since you ask, that's what I can think of.

 

[JKaftertwoxans]

I will be turning 60 this August and I’m wondering if I’m getting too old to do continuous, rapid downstrokes for extended periods of time.

I’m learning Highway Star and Glover used all downstrokes (pick) when he recorded his track on that song. The only weakness I have playing this song is keeping those blasted downstrokes consistent during those parts where Glover is hitting those single notes for long periods of time. Like during the first part of the organ and guitar solos. Is it possible to increase my stamina by practicing, or is Father Time letting me know that I can’t do this? Any suggestions for improving on this (or techniques you guys use) that might help? Again, I want to play ALL downstrokes. Thanks in advance.

If you're not using fender 351 heavy celluloid picks you're doing it wrong. These provide the perfect stiffness/flex ratio to not overly fatigue your hand even when using continuous downstrokes. I bleed in russian doomer tunes and alternate picking just doesn't have the same droning attack, trying to get there without the real deal is an uphill battle. Remember to relax and keep your attack light, the goal is to keep your muscles from becoming tense, I cant stress enough how much a good plectrum aids in this and IME fender heavys are amongst the best.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

You could try a thumb pick. Where you can alternate the motion and still have downstrokes

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I'd just alternate pick it. If the upstrokes aren't sounding as good as the downstrokes, I'd experiment with picks of different thicknesses as well as where I'm picking (closer to neck or bridge, over pickup, etc.).

Never seen the point in being a downpicking purist, whether we're talking Roger Glover or James Hetfield. Just because another musician played a part a certain way, why should I play it the same exact way if it doesn't feel right to me?

Consistency is why people down stroke.

But, in my experience, it really doesn't matter much live. In the studio, yes. But, live music is such a mess anyway, that even playing wrong notes here and there isn’t really noticed much.

 

[J Wilson]

I can pick all downstrokes, but once it speeds up where I'm not as consistent as I'd like, I alternate. I'd rather be steady than inconsistent.
I use heavy picks so there's little to no difference in tone.

 

[logdrum]

For some reason, I always though you are one of our 30-40 year old TB members

I was in a discussion indirectly with Charlie Hunter in one of those facebook groups for hybrid guitar (obviously different genre) and he was recommending playing by using your forearm muscles and it was less strain on my wrist. Yes all downstrokes. In Hybrid guitar most bass lines are done using the thumb and you keep that firm and chord and play melodic lines with the 3 other fingers. Maybe that will help. Also I use Delrin picks from the Dava folks who are local here in Albuquerque. Stiff yet slick -- yeah I know

 

[RyanOh]

I use one finger and flick it back and forth for stuff like that.
Geddy Lee later copied me and called it flamenco technique, you can google that.

Maybe I got it from him, can't remember.

 

[Short4since64]

Was in a Deep Purple tribute band (on the crunch B-3 at the time). Bassist played it with his fingers, alternating between index and middle finger. Pbass and 360/361/361. Gtr on Marshall full stack. Extremely loud. punchy and sounded just fine. Now, back on bass and 75, use the same technique for extended 16th note passages

 

[40Hz]

I found the best way for me to avoid fatigue and possible injury from extended periods playing rapid downstroke passages was to not grip the pick any more firmly than was absolutely necessary, and use a lighter gauge pick. I’m partial to a .73mm or .88mm tri-tip or large jazz pick from Stringjoy for that sort of playing.

If I’m not using a pick I often employ that one finger flick (“flamenco”) technique @RyanOh mentioned earlier. You can also do a modification of it for rapid triplet playing by downstroking first with your middle and then your index finger and finally playing the third note in the triplet with an upstroke of the middle finger. I found it’s easier (for me) to play triplets evenly using this technique rather than employ the the ring finger.

 

[srosenthal13]

I’m learning Highway Star and Glover used all downstrokes (pick) when he recorded his track on that song.

I don't know one way or the other how that part was recorded, but keep in mind it might not have been a straight-through take. Punch-ins, ping-ponging between tracks (verse one, chorus another, bounce them to a single track, etc) could all have been done to comp a take. Ian Paice was probably the only guy who had to nail a straight-through take.

 

[Thegreatzambini]

I will be turning 60 this August and I’m wondering if I’m getting too old to do continuous, rapid downstrokes for extended periods of time.

I’m learning Highway Star and Glover used all downstrokes (pick) when he recorded his track on that song. The only weakness I have playing this song is keeping those blasted downstrokes consistent during those parts where Glover is hitting those single notes for long periods of time. Like during the first part of the organ and guitar solos. Is it possible to increase my stamina by practicing, or is Father Time letting me know that I can’t do this? Any suggestions for improving on this (or techniques you guys use) that might help? Again, I want to play ALL downstrokes. Thanks in advance.

Plenty of guys older than you still play down strokes fast tempo,people around here are using age for an excuse for everything…. Just say your hearts not in it

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I will be turning 60 this August and I’m wondering if I’m getting too old to do continuous, rapid downstrokes for extended periods of time.

I’m learning Highway Star and Glover used all downstrokes (pick) when he recorded his track on that song. The only weakness I have playing this song is keeping those blasted downstrokes consistent during those parts where Glover is hitting those single notes for long periods of time. Like during the first part of the organ and guitar solos. Is it possible to increase my stamina by practicing, or is Father Time letting me know that I can’t do this? Any suggestions for improving on this (or techniques you guys use) that might help? Again, I want to play ALL downstrokes. Thanks in advance.

It’s probably around 50 years since the last time I played this song, but if I remember correctly. I played it using a two finger plucking technique. Nobody seemed to mind. I’ll check it out tomorrow.

 

[lunarpollen]

I can play all upstrokes faster and for greater duration than I can play all downstrokes... But usually I just use alternate picking when I don't want to wear myself out. For recording, I can do all upstrokes or all downstrokes via the use of punch-ins, multiple takes, etc.